Another year has passed since the Earth has last promised us exactly twelve hours of daylight. Although March 20th marks the first day of spring, we have not seen the last of our winter weather. After another large snowfall, things are not looking too well for the start of the spring season.

Spring, to many people, is a season that is full of tweeting birds and mild weather. But in astronomy, spring is defined as when the sun’s rays hit the Earth in a perpendicular way, causing it to receive twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness.

Due to the intensity of recent winter weather, many spring sports teams have had to practice inside as a result of the snow and the cold temperatures. “The winter weather has made it challenging to practice as a team since we cannot go out on the field. Instead, we have been working mainly on our skills which will benefit us and give us an advantage throughout the rest of the season,” said Emily Hall, a sophomore lacrosse player.

On March 20th, the first day of spring, meteorologists promised another “nor’easter”, a large winter storm, for the east coast of the United States. The phenomenon known as Winter Storm Toby tore through several states including Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland. According to The Weather Channel, State College received between four and six inches of snow on March 21st. The heavy accumulations lead to SCASD closing its schools due to road conditions, as well as many other districts in the area.

The irony of Winter Storm Toby is that it took place on only the second day of spring. With winter weather carrying over into springtime, many people are questioning if March 20th should be the first day of spring.

But when can we officially say hello to spring?

Some people say that spring is determined by what the weather is like when they go outside in the morning. “I consider the start of spring to be when the sun finally starts to shine, and I can get by in the morning with wearing a sweatshirt instead of a winter coat,” sophomore Jordan Fralick said. The clothes people wear in spring generally are very different from those that they wear in winter. Instead of dressing ourselves to avoid frostbite, we usually want to feel the warmer air on our skin.

“[Spring begins] when it is at least 50 degrees, sunny, and I see flowers!”, sophomore Libby Fortin said. More hours of sunlight means more hours for flowers to grow, and the warmer weather promotes flower growth.

Even though the temperatures are significantly warmer during spring, some people think that the length of the day is part of the joys of springtime. Senior Cailin Saylor said that spring is official when the day begins to get longer. In part, this is due to daylight savings.

However long it takes, spring will come with its weather, sun, and greenery. Winter is on its way out, and the end of the school year is closer every day.